Muraho, shuti nziza!  (Hello, dear friends!)  

Christina and I are in our second day of teaching.  Yesterday we traveled about 2 hours to Batima in the south of Rwanda and met with about 38 women.  These more rural ladies may look more care-worn than the city ladies, but there was still much joyful singing and dancing, praising God for His goodness to bring us to them with good teaching. The women gave many testimonies of how Christina’s teaching last year had brought peace to their marriages and building up of their homes.  Praise God! This Christina is giving gifts to the youngest and oldest woman in each group, and it’s been so much fun to see their reactions to this! Especially the oldest women, who are so very honored by this attention! Today we met with the women in the capital city of Kigali from Pastor John’s church, Iriba, and Pastor Zephrem’s church, Beersheba – 41 women with 22 babies!  Except for the pastors’ wives, we had not met with any of these women before. Many shared their testimony of how they had come to Christ. A common theme with both groups of women was that God had spoken promises to them in their dreams that He eventually fulfilled. It is so encouraging and interesting to hear how God works in their lives.

At the pastors’ teaching, Pr. Neal finished Nahum and John continued with Habakkuk.  John is pressing on with solar systems – repairing some, and putting together new ones for those without.  Some of the pastors have been suffering with malaria, and have had to rest in bed instead of attending class.  Hopefully, they will be ready to come back tomorrow for Zephaniah, Haggai, and the beginning of Zachariah.

Tomorrow Christina and I meet with the women from Pastor Theo’s church, Zarephath.  Since the government forced the closing of many churches last year, many have combined their worship, or are sharing the church building with their own times of worship.  All are working hard to come up to the new codes and are eager to reopen. It’s hard to believe tomorrow is Wednesday, and our time with these dear brothers and sisters will be more than half over.  At the same time, we miss you all, and pray all is well with you. May God bless you! (Imana ibahe imigisha!)

Your sister,

Peggy